2nd Blog-o-versary!

“Two years ago, I started a blog here on WordPress with the intention of becoming a published author.”

At that time, I already knew publishers and agents were looking for writers who could market themselves, who already had a following. Thus, it was imperative to have an established online presence. Well, two years later, I’m still unpublished. However, I’m okay with that. And my blog has becoming something else entirely.

Over the last two years I’ve learned so much about the publishing industry, about marketing, about books, about readers and the community, and I’ve become far more critical of what I read. In turn, I’ve become far more critical of what I write. I may not be published, but maybe that’s because I wasn’t ready. Maybe my stories and my writing weren’t at an appropriate skill level for me to be published, and maybe they will be soon.

I’ve improved a lot over the past couple years. I can tell. And that will only better my chances of becoming published and sharing my stories with all of you lovely, amazing readers and bloggers in the future. For now, though, I will focus on honing those writing skills further, focus on furthering my reach, focus on broadening minds of my fellow readers, and…

I’ll focus on my blog.

My blog has seen some amazing changes over the last two years. It was blue and now it’s black (even more black as of today 😉). I started out with a nice-looking theme, only to realize that my blogging (and personality) style is less flowery and much starker, stronger, snarkier. 😆 I’ve transferred from posting fiction pieces to posting book reviews. I put more emphasis on actual conversations with my readers rather than the stats. I’ve opened my mind to others’ opinions rather than just spouting my own ideas about the literary world and all it entails.

I feel like my blog has helped me to understand myself, to feel more confident in my opinions and accept that I’m usually of the unpopular opinion 😜, but it’s also taught me to bend when I am wrong and to listen to those around me who know more than I do. It’s taught me to highlight others and has helped me understand the concept of community.

To welcome and invite those who have different personalities to join me and share my space so that they might be showcased and given the same love I’ve received from the amazing people that visit, comment on, and support my blog each week. Yet, I think one of the more important aspects I’ve learned over the last two years of blogging is:

“I’m never gonna get this right.”

Hahaha! That might sound horrible, but the truth is there is no ‘right.’ You’re always going to look back at a post, a theme, an idea and think ‘I should’ve done it differently,’ or, in my case: “CRAP! Another typo! 😤” The truth is, there is no right way to blog. There is no wrong way to blog because blogging is an extension of your personality and who you are and there is no right or wrong to you.

You are yourself. 😘
Plain and simple.

That being said, myself is always changing. I’m always adapting to new things, new people, new… whatever! Hahaha! That’s the side effect of having an open mind. My viewpoints and interests are never the same from one year to the next. (Well… I mean, most of them are. 😝) But many things change and speaking of changes, here are a few new implementations starting for my 2nd Blog-o-versary!

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Changes

I have learned so much in the two years since I started blogging and it’s changed so much and even now I’ve changed quite a few more things, as you likely have noticed.

• Today I switched to a slightly darker theme with new (un-copyrighted) header pictures.
• I updated my menu with some new pages. Check ’em out! Clicky clicky!
• I added a new item to my footer: Next Book Review & Next Audiobook Review. So everyone will know what Sunday’s & Wednesday’s book review will be. ☺️
• I re-wrote my ‘About Me’ page & my short bio in the side-bar. Read ’em and weep.
• I have adjusted my categories a bit and their respective header images for the main page of my blog. Oo! More black. 😎
• I will no longer be accepting any tags or awards on my blog. (see below)

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Tags/Awards

I feel as though I’ve reached a point in my blogging career where everyone pretty much already got to know me (which is the purpose of awards and tags). So, I’m going to request that everyone give their awards and tags to newer bloggers who are just starting out because, trust me, it will really make their day. 😄

Still, I want to thank all the wonderful people who tagged me and nominated me for awards recently. I’m sorry that I didn’t have time to get to all of them before my Blog-o-versary, but I had a lot of posts scheduled these last few months. Still, thank you to Flavia the Bibliophile, Michaela @ Journey Into Books, Ashley & Sabrina @ 5171 Miles Book Blog, Naty @ Naty’s Bookshelf, Ang @ Egg Reader, James @ This is My Truth Now, CEB & MLC @ M&C Crazy Book Blog, and Melissa @ Melissa’s BookWorld. Everyone should check out these amazing blogs, by the way! *hint hint* *nudge nudge* 😉

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I honestly have SOOOO much more I could say for this post (as I’m sure you lovely people all know [because I never know how to shut up 😜]), but I will say one more thing for this post…

THANK YOU!

My blog wouldn’t be here without all of your wonderful support, comments, and interaction. I blog to interact, to chat, to make reading a social activity.
Who ever said readers were antisocial? 😉